A West Lothian brass band is celebrating after winning the Fife Brass Band Festival contest held at Dunfermline’s Carnegie Hall recently.
Whitburn band, conducted by Bryan Allen, topped the field of 11 other brass bands from across Scotland when they gathered in Fife for the competition.
The local brass band performed Amazonia from Peter Graham’s Windows of the World, Hope by Stijn Aertgeerts, Ukrainian Dances by Stephen Roberts, and Nightingale Dances by Matthew Hall.
The victory in Fife follows the band’s wins at the Scottish Open contest last November and the Scottish Championships in March, with both of those events held at the Perth Concert Hall.
Earlier in April, the Whitburn Youth Band participated in The National Youth Brass Bands of Scotland Easter course with the Scottish Brass Band Association at Strathallan School.
Whitburn also participated in the production of an audio-drama created by Martin Green and featuring tenor horn soloist Sheona White at the Lyuceum Theatre in Edinburgh at the beginning of April.
The new drama, starring Anna Russell-Martin and Tam Dean Burn, will be directed and co-created by Wils Wilson.
This fictional story follows a talented but troubled young horn player as she navigates the trials and tribulations of life in a brass band – inspired heavily by real-life brass band communities like Whitburn Band.
Charlie Farren, president of Whitburn Band, commented: “We were very pleased to have won the Fife Brass Band Festival contest.
“Congratulations to our conductor Bryan Allen, and to all of the prizewinners, and thank you to the event organisers.
“The band is now looking forward to competing at the Grand Shield Contest in Blackpool in May.“
Whitburn Band will host a rehearsal open to the public to watch ahead of its challenge at the Grand Shield contest.
The rehearsal will be held at West Calder High School on Wednesday, May 4 between 7pm and 9pm and slated to be conducted by the band’s director of music, Professor Nicholas Childs.
The local brass band will work on their test piece, Dynasty by Peter Graham, with entry free to all interested parties.
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